A shipping ministry-affiliated public ports authority intends to launch another international tender for the marine salvage of a state-of-the-art cruise ship that sank in Santorini’s iconic Caldera 12 years ago, increasing the budgeted outlay seven-fold in the process, naftemporiki.gr reports.
The sum cited in a former tender, which was declared null and void, was 50 million euros, with the ports authority now eying a payout of 350 million euros (plus VAT) for the salvage operation.
The raising of the “Sea Diamond” has been an on-again, off-again predicament for several shipping ministry leaderships, while media and scientific speculation continues to focus on whether the shipwreck is a source of contamination for the Caldera’s waters, as well as whether the vessel can be raised.
Until now, no study has been published by a relevant institution, ship registry or faculty on whether specific and readily available engineering solutions can be employed to raise and remove the shipwreck.
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